Stock-salter



(No Model.)

T. FERGUSON.

STOCK SALTER. No. 361,621. Patented 'Apr. 19, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFIcE.

ALLISON, AND M. E. ILGEN, OF PARKERSBURG, IOWA.

STOCK-SALTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,621, dated April 19, 1887.

Application filed January 14, 1887. Serial No. 224,358. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS FERGUsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Parkersburg, in the county of Butler and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stock-Salters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken on line or m. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing a modification.

My invention relates to automatic stocksalters for salting stock in the field or stockyard; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the body or case of the stock-salter, which is preferably rectangular in outline in cross section. The case A is provided with a lid, 13, which is held in place by hooks O, pivoted to the sides of the case and adapted to engage eyes D in the lower faces of the lid, near the edges of the latter.

1 At its lower end the caseA is provided with an open extension or bait-trough, E, which is provided witlra rear wall, F, which does not extend quite to the upper edges of the end walls of the trough E.

The case A is provided with an internal hopper, G, the front wall or bottom of which inclines downwardly and rearwardly, and connects with the upper end of the transverse partition The partition H is so placed in the case that it inclines from above downward and forward to form the salt reservoir I. The lower end of the salt-reservoir is there fore larger than the upper end, so that the salt will not choke it up, but will be automatically fed down as fast as it is used from the bottom of the reservoir. The bottom J of the reservoir I is inclined downward and forward, so that it will feed the salt forward, and at the same time will prevent rain or snow that may fall into the bait-trough from traveling back into the reservoir and melting the salt.

K is a door at the front of the case A, said door K being hinged or pivoted at its upper end between the walls of the case. The door K is pressed normally forward to automatically close it and keep it closed when the stock is not licking the salt by springs L, secured on the interior of the case.

Vhen the stock licks the salt in the baittrough, the animals head will push the door back and thus open it sufficiently far.to expose the salt in the case, so that the animal may satisfy its desire for salt. As soon as the animal removes its head from the salter the springs will automatically close the door.

The stock-salter may be made in double form, as shown in Fig. 3-that is, two of the constructions just described may be placed back to back or made in a single case, so that the salter may be placed in a partition-fence, so that stock in the fields on both sides of the fence may take salt. The construction in other particulars will be the same as that above described for the single salter.

This device in either form enables the stock to help themselves, and saves the i tlllllel Ol stock man time and trouble also.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. The combination, with the case having the hopper, the salt-reservoir, and the baittrough, of the hinged spring-pressed door at the front of the case and at'the rear of the baittrough, substantially as specified.

. 2. The combination, with the case provided with the feed-hopper and the salt-reservoir having thelower larger end, of the bait-trough having the forwardly and downwardly inclined bottom and the hinged springpressed door above and in rear of the bait-trough, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the case having the feedhopper and the central salt-reservoir, of the bait-troughs provided with inclined bottoms, the hinged doors, and the springs for automatically closing them, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS FERGUSON.

Vitnesses:

WM. OooLEY, RALPH J. DENT.

ICO 

